Note: the southern headwater of the River Esk in Lothian is also known as the South Esk.

The South Esk (Scottish Gaelic: Easg Dheas) is a river in Angus, Scotland. It rises in the Grampian Mountains at Loch Esk in Glen Doll and flows through Glen Clova to Strathmore at Cortachy, 5 km north of Kirriemuir. Its course takes it past Brechin and enters the North Sea at Montrose.^[1]

South Esk
River Esk at Glen Doll
Location
Country	Scotland
Physical characteristics
Source	Loch Esk
• location	Glen Doll, Angus
• coordinates	56°53′55.4814″N 3°15′15.2526″W / 56.898744833°N 3.254236833°W / 56.898744833; -3.254236833
• elevation	730 m (2,400 ft)
Mouth	Montrose Basin, North Sea
• location	Montrose, Angus, UK
• coordinates	56°42′10.9074″N 2°26′27.3192″W / 56.703029833°N 2.440922000°W / 56.703029833; -2.440922000
• elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Basin features
Tributaries
• left	Burn of Fafernie, Burn of Gowal, Style Burn, Ketchie Burn, Burn of Gourrock, Moulzie Burn, Capel Burn, Cald Burn, Rottal Burn, Burn of Kinrive, Noran Water, Steinshell Burn
• right	Burn of Altcluthie, Burn of Loupshiel, Burn of Leck, Whitewater, Burn of Gourach, Burn of Farthal, Prosen Water

v t e River South Esk
Legend
Burn of Fafernie Loch Esk Burn of Gowal Burn of Altcluthie, Style Burn Burn of Loupshiel Ketchie Burn Burn of Gourrock Burn of Leck Moulzie Burn Capel Burn Cald Burn Whitewater Burn of Gourach Burn of Farthal Clova Rottal Burn Braeminzion Burn of Kinrive Cortachy Prosen Water Shielhill bridge Justinhaugh bridge A90 road, Finavon Bridge Noran Water Netherton ford Blalkie Mill Stannochy Bridge Brechin Bridge Bridge of Dun Steinshell Burn Montrose Basin Dundee–Aberdeen line A92 road Montrose estuary

The river gives its name to the title of Earl of Southesk, held by the Carnegie family.^[2]